Table[edit]

Key

Not recommended for use in the United States by the Joint Commission[5]

Not recommended for use by other organizations, such as the ISMP (Institute for Safe Medication
Practices)[6])

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

aa, ,

ana

AAA

a.c.

a.c.h.s.,
ac&hs

a.d.

ad.

English

Possible confusion

of each

apply to affected area

ante cibum

ante cibum
et hora
somni

before meals

before meals and at

bedtime

auris dextra

right ear

adde

add

addatur

let there be added

"a" can be mistaken as an "o" which

could read "o.d.", meaning right eye

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

add.

English

adde

add

addatur

let there be added

Latin, "at one's

ad lib.

ad libitum

pleasure"; as much as
one desires; freely

admove

apply [or] add

admoveatur

add; let there be added

ad us.

ad usum

according to custom

q.

quales

equal

agit.

agita

agitate (stir or shake)

alt. d., alt.

alternis

every other day; on

dieb.

diebus

alternate days

admov.

alt. h., alt.

hor.

a.m.

alternis horis

ante
meridiem

every other hour; at

alternate hours

morning, before noon

Possible confusion

Compare pro re nata, "as needed",

which by convention includes an aspect
of "up to some maximum". Similarly,
compare s.o.s., q.l., and q.s.

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

amp.

ampulla

amt

English

ampule (ampul,
ampoule)

amount

aq.

aqua

water

aq. bull.

aqua bulliens

boiling water

aq. com.

aq. dest.

aq. ferv.

a.l., a.s.

aqua
communis

aqua
destillata

aqua fervens

auris laeva,
auris sinistra

ATC

a.u.

Possible confusion

common water

distilled water

hot water

"a" can be mistaken as an "o" which

left ear

could read "o.s." or "o.l", meaning left

eye

around the clock

auris utraque

both ears

"a" can be mistaken as an "o" which

could read "o.u.", meaning both eyes

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

BDS, b.d.s.

bis die
sumendum

English

twice daily

bib.

bibe

drink

bis

bis

twice

b.i.d., b.d.

bis in die

twice daily

bis ind.

bis indies

twice a day

bis in 7 d.

bis in septem
diebus

BM

twice a week

bowel movement

British National

BNF

Formulary

bol.

bolus

BP, Ph.Br.

Pharmacopo
eia

Possible confusion

as a large single dose

(usually intravenously)

British Pharmacopoeia

AMA style avoids use of this

abbreviation (spell out "twice a day")

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

Possible confusion

Britannica

BS

blood sugar

BSA

body surface area

b.t.

bedtime

bucc.

bucca

buccal (inside cheek)

cap., caps.

capsula

capsule

cap.

capiat

c.m.

cras mane

tomorrow morning

cras mane

to be taken tomorrow

sumendus

morning

c.m.s.

c, c.

cum

cib.

cibus

let him take (let the

patient take)

with (usually written with

a bar on top of the "c")

food

mistaken for "b.i.d", meaning twice daily

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

c.c.

cum cibo

English

with food [or]

cubic centimetre

cf.

confer

compare

c.n.

cras nocte

tomorrow night

cochl.

cochleare

spoonful

cochleare

an ample spoonful

amplum

(atablespoonful)

cochleare

a small spoonful

infantis

(ateaspoonful)

cochleare

a large spoonful

magnum

(atablespoonful)

cochleare

a modest spoonful

modicum

(adesert-spoonful)

cochleare

a scant spoonful

parvum

(ateaspoonful)

cochl. ampl.

cochl. infant.

cochl. mag.

cochl. mod.

cochl. parv.

Possible confusion

mistaken for "U", meaning units; also

has an ambiguous meaning; use "mL"
or "milliliters" (1 cm = 1 mL)

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

colet.

coletur

let it be strained

comp.

compositus

compound

contin.

continuetur

let it be continued

cpt.

capiat

let him take (let the

patient take)

cr., crm

cream

CST

continue same treatment

cuj.

cujus

of which

c.v.

cras vespere

tomorrow evening

cyath.

cyathus

a glassful

cyath. vinos.

D, d.

cyathus
vinosus

Possible confusion

a wine-glassful

die [or]

days [or]

ambiguous meaning, write out "days" or

dosis

doses

"doses"

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

Possible confusion

dextrose 5% in lactated
Ringer's

D5LR

solution(intravenous
sugar solution)

dextrose 5% in normal
saline (0.9%)

D5NS

(intravenous sugar
solution)

dextrose 5%
D5W, D5W

in water(intravenous
sugar solution)

dextrose 10%
D10W, D10W

in water(intravenous
sugar solution)

da

da

give

dispense as written (i.e.,

DAW

no generic substitution)

DC, dc, D/C,

discontinue [or]

disc

discharge

decoct.

decoctum

decoction

ambiguous meaning

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

det.

dieb. alt.

detur

let it be given

diebus

every other day; on

alternis

alternate days

dil.

dim.

English

dilute

dimidius

one-half

divide in
d. in p. .

partes

divide into equal parts

quales

dispersible [or]

disp.

div.

dispense

divide

dL

d.t.d.

divide

deciliter

dentur tales
doses

give of such doses

Possible confusion

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

Possible confusion

can easily be confused with "diluted

tincture of opium," which is 1/25th the
DTO

deodorized tincture of

strength of deodorized tincture of

opium

opium; deaths have resulted due to

massive morphine overdose.
[7]

distilled water [or]

DW

dextrose in water(intrave
nous sugar solution)

elix.

elixir

elixir

ex modo

as directed (in the

prescripto

manner prescribed)

emuls.

emulsum

emulsion

et

et

and

e.m.p.

EOD

every other day

ex aq.

ex aqua

in water

exhib.

exhibiatur

let it be given

Compare laudanum and paregoric.

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

f.

fiat

make; let it be made

f.h.

fiat haustus

make a draught

fluid (usually meaning

fl., fld.

fluidus

specifically liquid in
health care)

f.m.

fiat mistura

make a mixture

f. pil.

fiat pilula

make a pill

fiat
f.s.a.

secundum

make according to art

artem

ft.

fiat

make; let it be made

gram (modern SI symbol

g, gm

is g, not gm)

garg.

gargarisma

gargle

gr.

granum

grain

Possible confusion

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

gtt(s)

gutta(e)

drop(s)

gutt.

gutta(e)

drop(s)

Possible confusion

hypodermic

h, hr, hor.

hora

hour

habt.

habeat

let him have

every other hour (every

hor. alt.

hora alternis

second hour; at alternate

hours)

hor. decub.

hor. intermed.

hor. tert.

hora
decubitus

horis
intermediis

horis tertiis

hora somni
h.s.

(at the hour

of sleep)

at bedtime

at intermediate hours

every third hour

at bedtime [or]

ambiguous (2 meanings, easily

half-strength

conflated); spell out

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

Possible confusion

ideal body weight (for

IBW

dosing based
onclearance estimation)

ID

IJ, inj.

intradermal

injectio

IM

injection

mistaken for "IV", meaning

intravenously

intramuscular

mistaken for "IM", meaning

IN

intranasal

intramuscular, or "IV", meaning

intravenously

ind.

indies

daily

infusion
inf.

infusum

(extraction) /intravenous
infusion

IP

intraperitoneal

IT

intrathecal

mistaken for other abbreviations; spell

out

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

IU

international unit

IV

intravenous

IVP

intravenous push

IVPB

intravenous piggyback

kg

kilogram

LAS

label as such

lat. dol.

lateri dolenti

to the painful side

lb.

libra

pound

liquor
l.c.d.

carbonis

coal tar solution

detergens

lin

linimentum

liniment

liq.

liquor

solution

Possible confusion

mistaken for "IV" or "10", spell out

"international unit"

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

lot.

lotio

lotion

M., m.

misce

mix

mane

mane

in the morning

max.

maximum

maximum

mcg

m.d.u.

microgram

more dicto
utendus

Recommended replacement for "g"

which may be confused with "mg"

to be used as directed

mEq

milliequivalent

mg

milligram

mg/dL

milligrams per deciliter

MgSO4

magnesium sulfate

min.

Possible confusion

minimum [or]

minimum [or]

minim [or]

minim [or]

may be confused with "MSO4", spell

out "magnesium sulfate"

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

minutum

minute

mist.

mistura

mixture

mit., mitt.

mitte

send

mL

millilitre

mod.

modo

prscript.

prscripto

in the manner directed

morphine
MS

sulfate ormagnesium
sulfate

MSO4

nebul

morphine sulfate

nebula

NMT

noct.

Possible confusion

a spray (such as
forinsufflation)

not more than

nocte

at night

can mean either morphine sulfate or

magnesium sulfate, spell out either

may be confused with "MgSO4", spell

out "morphine sulfate"

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

non rep.

English

Possible confusion

non repetatur no repeats (no refills)

AMA style avoids use of this

NPO, n.p.o.

nil per os

nothing by mouth

abbreviation (spell out "nothing by

mouth")

NS

normal saline (0.9%)

half-normal saline

1/2NS

(0.45%)

NTE

not to exceed

o 2, o2

both eyes

"O2" usually means oxygen or oxygen

therapy

every day (once daily)

o.d.

omni die

(preferred to "qd" in the

UK[8])

"o" can be mistaken as an "a" which

o.d.

oculus dexter right eye

could read "a.d.", meaning right ear,

confusion with "omne in die"

o.m.

omne mane

every morning

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

omn. bih.

omni bihora

every 2 hours

omn. hor.

omni hora

every hour

o.n.

omne nocte

every night

OPD

o.s.

o.u.

once per day

oculus
sinister

oculus
uterque

oz

p.

part. q.

Possible confusion

left eye

both eyes

ounce

perstetur

partes
quales

continue

equal parts

per

per

by or through

p.c.

post cibum

after meals

"o" can be mistaken as an "a" which

could read "a.s.", meaning left ear

"o" can be mistaken as an "a" which

could read "a.u.", meaning both ears

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

p.c.h.s.,

post cibum et after meals and at

pc&hs

hora somni

Possible confusion

bedtime

Pharmacopo
Ph.Br., BP

eia

British Pharmacopoeia

Britannica

Ph.Eur.

Pharmacopo

European

eia Europaea Pharmacopoeia

Pharmacopo
Ph.Int.

eia

International

Internationali

Pharmacopoeia

pig./pigm.

p.m.

pigmentum

post
meridiem

paint

evening or afternoon

p.o.

per os

by mouth or orally

ppt.

prparata

prepared

p.r., PR

per rectum

rectally

AMA style avoids use of this

abbreviation (spell out "orally")

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

p.r.n., PRN

pro re nata

as needed

pt.

perstetur

continue

pulv.

pulvis

powder

p.v., PV

per vaginam

vaginally

quaque

every, per

q.1 h, q.1

quaque 1
hora

alternis die

quaque die
q.a.m.

replace "1" with other

numbers)

with other numbers)

quaque

ante
meridiem

Possible confusion

every 1 hour (can

at 4 pm (can replace "4"

q4PM

q.a.d.

English

every other day

every morning (every

day before noon)

mistaken to mean every 4 hours

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

Possible confusion

mistaken for "QOD" or "qds," spell out

q.d./q.1.d.

quaque die

every day

"every day" or "daily". AMA style avoids

use of this abbreviation (spell out
"every day")

quaque die
q.d.a.m.

ante

once daily in the morning

meridiem

quaque die
q.d.p.m.

post

once daily in the evening

meridiem

q.d.s.

quater die
sumendus

quaque die
q.p.m.

post
meridiem

q.h.

q.h.s.

q.i.d.

quaque hora

quaque hora
somni

quater in die

4 times a day

can be mistaken for "qd" (every day)

every evening (every

day after noon)

every hour

every night at bedtime

can be mistaken as "q.h.r." (every hour)

4 times a day

can be mistaken for "qd" or "qod," write

out "4 times a day". AMA style avoids

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

Possible confusion

use of this abbreviation (spell out "4

times a day")

q.l.

q.n.

quantum
libet

quaque
nocte

as much as is requisite

every night

can be mistaken as "q.h." (every hour)

mistaken for "QD," spell out "every

q.o.d.

quaque
altera die

every other day

other day". AMA styleavoids use of this

abbreviation (spell out "every other
day")

q.q.h.

quater
quaque hora

every 4 hours

quantum
sufficiat
q.s.

(subjunctive),
quantum

a sufficient quantity

sufficit
(indicative)

quantum
q.v.

volueris [or]
quod vide

at will [or]
which see

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

QWK

rep., rept.

English

Possible confusion

every week

repetatur

RL, R/L

repeats

Ringer's lactate

take (often effectively a

Rx, Rx, RX,
,

noun meaning
recipe

"prescription"medical
prescription orprescriptio
n drug)

rep.

repetatur

let it be repeated

s.

signa

write (write on the label)

s.a.

secundum
artem

SC

sem.

according to the art

(accepted practice
orbest practice)

subcutaneous

semen

seed

"SC" can be mistaken for "SL,"

meaning sublingual. See also SQ

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

s.i.d.

semel in die

once a day

sig.

signa

write (write on the label)

Possible confusion

used exclusively in veterinary medicine

without (usually written

s

sine

with a bar on top of the

"s")

sing.

singulorum

SL, s.l.

sub lingua

SOB

sol.

s.o.s., si op.
sit

s.s., SS

SSI

of each

sublingually, under
thetongue

shortness of breath

solutio

solution

si opus sit

if there is a need

semisse

one-half [or]
sliding scale

mistaken for "55" or "1/2"

sliding scale insulin or

mistaken to mean

sliding scale

"strong solution of iodine" or "selective

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

regularinsulin

SQ

subcutaneously

Possible confusion

serotonin reuptake inhibitor". See

also SSRI

"SQ" can be mistaken for "5Q" meaning

"5 every dose". See also SC

selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitor [or]

SSRI

sliding scale regular

insulin

st.

stet

stat

statim

SubQ

sum.

supp.

susp.

let it stand (for example,

for settling)

immediately

subcutaneously

sumat [or]

let him take [or]

sumendum

let it be taken

suppositoriu
m

suspensio

suppository

suspension

ambiguous. Do not abbreviate

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

syr.

syrupus

syrup

tab.

tabella

tablet

tal., t.

talus

such

tbsp

t.d.s., TDS

tablespoon

ter die
sumendum

3 times a day

t.i.d., t.d.

ter in die

3 times a day

tinct.

tinctura

tincture

t.i.w.

3 times a week

top.

topical

TPN

total parenteral nutrition

tr, tinc., tinct.

Possible confusion

tinctura

tincture

AMA style avoids use of this

abbreviation (spell out "3 times a day")

mistaken for "twice a week"

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

trit.

triturate

grind to a powder

troch.

trochiscus

lozenge

tsp

teaspoon

unit

u.d., ut. dict.

ut dictum

as directed

ung.

unguentum

ointment

United States

USP

vag.

Pharmacopeia

vagine

vaginally

with

w/a

while awake

w/f

with food (with meals)

Possible confusion

mistaken for a "4", "0" or "cc", spell out

"unit"

Abbreviati

Latin,Gree

on or

k, orNew

symbol

Latin

English

Possible confusion

w/o

without

X, x

times

YO, y.o.

years old

microgram

mistaken for "mg", meaning milligram

at

mistaken for "2"; spell out "at"

>

greater than

mistaken for a "7"

<

less than

mistaken for an "L"

libra

pound

uncia

ounce

drachma

dram (drachm)

scrupulus

scruple